Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
MORGAN — A Utah family is making sure their more than 5,000 acres of land will never be developed.
To put it in simple terms, John Schlichte and his family have made an agreement with the Summit Land Conservancy to make sure the family's 5,200 acres will never be developed. Instead, it will remain home to what's called the Warrior Rizen Ranch, to support veterans and their families.
"I've heard it once said that the world could solve a lot of problems if you have an educated cowboy — the work ethic of a cowboy with a good education," Schlichte said.
He and his wife, Barbara Schlichte, founded the Warrior Rizen Ranch. They and their five sons are all Army veterans.
"I was fortunate I wasn't deployed in a combat situation. My sons were," John Schlichte said.
And they know enough to understand the challenges veterans and their whole families face.
"We feel there is a need for the veteran community specifically to come out here and partake in horse therapy, counseling and family history," Schlichte said.
And that's what whole families do out here for a week at a time. It's all paid for through donations and private funding.
"When the veteran is deployed, essentially the whole family is deployed, and that's why we bring out the whole family," Schlichte added.
They get to work and have fun, but more importantly, Schlichte says they have time to heal. "It's therapeutic, and when people come here, they feel it."
And now, he's making sure no one in his family, nor any of his descendants, will ever be able to develop the land. They're giving up those rights for what he believes is a more important purpose.
"And so, we're sort of taking those questions out of their minds and out of the future generations' minds, that we're here to serve those that served."
Schlichte said it took about two years to finalize the conservancy. It may mean giving up a family fortune down the line, but in the end, the gift given to so many more families is invaluable.
"What's needed in this world is not more money, it's more character, and I think this ranch builds character," he said.
The Schlichtes also host families of fallen police officers as well as Gold Star families, mostly over the summer months.
All of the agricultural products they sell from here help support the charity.
